This species can be distinguished from all Spectracanthicus species by theinfraorbital 4 forming most of the posterior edge of the orbit (vs. forming a minute portion of orbital rim) and by having large basipterigium fenestrae (vs. medium or small-sized basipterigium fenestrae). It further differs from S. immaculatus and S. zuanoni by its color pattern, consisting of small, yellowish dots, and by having thick teeth (vs. dots lacking in S. immaculatus and large, white spots in S. zuanoni; and slender teeth). It can be further diagnosed from S. zuanoni by having 8-16 dentary teeth (vs.19-43); from S. murinus by having bar-shaped, eversible opercle with conspicuous odontodes (vs. triangle shaped opercle not eversible, without conspicuous odontodes) and by having four unbranched anal-fin rays (vs. three unbranched anal-fin rays); and from S. punctatissimus by the slightly pointed snout in dorsal view (vs. snout rounded in dorsal view) (Ref. 95496).

Description: Dorsal-fin rays i,7; anal-fin rays i,4; pelvic-fin rays i,5; dorsal-fin base very long, its length equivalent to 12 dorsal plates, reaching pre-adipose plate and connected to adipose fin by thick membrane; dorsal-fin spinelet V-shaped with locking mechanism (Ref. 95496).